Immersion actuator



June 13, 1944. v C GRANT, JR 2,351,036

IMMERSION ACTUATOR Filed May 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I I l i l I i INVENTOR fiiail y hzzzg zfr.

-- ATTORNEY June 13, 1944. H. c. GRANT, JR

IMMERSION ACTUATOR Filed May 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w ww N m MW AZ M ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1944 STATES.

v IMMERSION ACTUATOR? Harry 3.0. Grant Jn, NewJork, N. YL, assignor to Specialties Development C0rporation iBloom= field, N.-.J.,= acorporation of new Jersy, ;'j Application-M5114, 1941, serialzNol 33,T40-1" ucia'imss; (c1, zoo-9152):: v

The present invention relates "broadly :to we:

ators for use with automaticalLi operable'marine i life saving apparatus such"as,rfor example," air craft flotation equipment; now extensively used to prevent the sinking 'ofae'roplanes not other wise equipped to float when forcedito descend upon a body of water.)

More specifically, this "invention relates to an actuator which, upon-immersion in "waterfjcom pletes an electric 'actuating'nircuit"to operate electrically releasable' aircraft flotation equip-' ment, as suggested, for insta'ncdin United States Letters Patent-*SerialNo. 1,956,494; issued to Dagnall.

An object or the present invention is. to provide an actuator-"of the type" referred to,'which';

is' simple in construction, economical' to'manufacture, and efficient and reliable in "operation.

Another object is to provide an eiecm circuit actuator which" is easily"'mounted and dis mounted.

Another'object' is to providean "actuator which permits of easyaccess to the inside: thereof for" purposes of test and inspection? A further object"is"to"provi'de an" immersion actuator the construction"of'wvhichflmpedes an undesired operation thereof? These; and otherobjectsofthe' invention not specifically enumerated above; will "be 'app'q rent as the-invention istdescribedun greate'r'detail ring fl is disposed in the upper part of chamber 5, in'intir'nate contactwith electrode A-"ter-'--- minal Wire-8 is connected ""to"the ring ='|"'an'd is carried through a passage!) in'a partition-"10 minates in a recess "H of the houslng=where**-it* is connected to a terminal prong 512 mounted in a connector receptacle l3;

The partition 10 has an'aperture l4 into which is cemented a suitably shaped boss" portion--15 of a cylindrical member 16." 'Theoutersurface of member H5 is covered byra metallic -electrode- H. An electro-conductive ring-ill! is fastened about a constricted portion" IQ of the-member 6 and serves as a conducting intermediary between theelectrode 11 anda -termina1Wi1e7-20" secured to the insideof-the ring and termi Y hating in therecess H where :it' is connected-fto aiterminal' prongsimilarto thatiof Wire' BRA 2o v "'2l is provided inportion's l9 and I5 "to;

accommodate th'ewire' 20. The receptacle 1 3,1113 means of a coupling 22, is connected to a socket 23Wvhich forms the terminal for circuit wires;- 24 and 25. The receptacle l3 "and 'thes'socket" 23 are not shownin detail as theytform no part in connection with thefaccompanyi-n-g rdrawinfgs,

wherein:

Figure-1 is a schematic view f'an "electrical sion actuator in *accordancewlth'the invention." Figure 2 is a partial"longitudinall'cross'section al view through theaetuatorand *aconnectin'g plug receptacle therefor?" Figure 3 is .a plan :view 'of'a baflleelement oi the actuatory'whi'le Figures 4 and 5 are respec tively a bottom and top encr vlewpf" the actu'f' ator;

Figure 6 is an "e1evational vieurpfthe =actu:

ator;

ticularly to Figure ilf'l indicates? an: electric ac;

tuating circuitshowniinparfifand inducing-a 1 source of electric 'current ati2.'"" At '3,"the actu-' ator of the inventio'rf'is' shownfdiagrammatically'j,

as being connected in thecircuit" l Referring to Figure 2 wherein the actuator is illustrated ,in"det'ai1,?14 *Tlndicatesia cylindrical I housing of the actuator formed wlthfa cy1 indri-' cal chamber 1 5,"

covered bya*"metallio"electrode" 6. A*rnetallic serves to yieldingly, maintain; the-r.-fluid,.admis-usion member 28 in itslocked position.

means of a pin 34, a springiecarrying :memberu 3-5, formed with an enlargement .:36 to enable it to support. the spring fl; iwhichihasiits diameter .i

Referring nowitb'me drawings", and more. par; reduced for cooperationr therewitlrzat-either iendi;

asindicated at 31.

The member. 28 isnessentiallyzin throrm 'of a cap-v; or closure which i: fitsuover :a red'ubed end portion 38 of the housing 4, and is providedwith' Water inlet apertures 39" as: shown in" Figure 4.

Water may enter thechamber-t only past baflles 40 and-4t,'the shapeofiwhich is-shown in-Fig'ure"= 3, and which are arranged to present. a so-called staggered--obs'tacle to anyentering fluid. These Tibafilesare mounted on the" projection 29? and The recess 26 .in member-:16 has :an extensionzr; "33 of smaller diameter,; intowhich "is:;secured by-1;

Figure 6 illustrates surface cavities 45 provided on the housing for frictional cooperation;

with holding means such as a bracket, or the lik The upper portion of the chain er "is vented to the atmosphere through apertures or passages 46 in the wall of the housing "4.1 The number of these vents, of which four areshown,

may be varied in accordance with their need.

n o era i t a uat which m be mounted on .theaircraft in any position and in whatever numbers desired, is prevented from closing the circuit in. which it is connected unless actually immersed in water, by the presence of baiilesi lfl and 4|, which; due to their staggered arrangement, impedethe'ingress of rain or spray but do not stop the entrance of water when actual immersion occurs; As water enters the chamber 5, the airentrapped therein is'vented through the apertures or openings 46, and

an electro conductive path is established between the electrodes '6 and I1 withtthe resultant actuation of the circuit represented by conductors 24 and, 25. The arrangement andtype of the elec trode surfaces insure small ,current'dens'ities and a relatively large current to be. caused to flow, while any gas developed in chamber 5 due to electrolytic action is' vented through the aperk tures'46; 'jIhe distance between the surfaces of the electrqdesfi and I! is'jdimensionedso as to minimize the possibility of'any short circuit due to accumulation of foreign matter, such as salt, frequently encountered" on marine craft. Easy accessibility of these electrodes fontesting'purposes is false attained because of the simplicity of removing closure member '28, which" only requires a lengthwise thrustj'against the force of the's'pring 32'and a sid'ewise twist to release'it from its locked-position;

The conducting surfaces of the electrodes 6 and-"l1 *m'a-y be separatemetallic cylinders secured to the inside-of the housing 4 and over 1 member I-G but in the preferred embodiment,

in order to eliminate manufacturing andassem bly -difiiculties encountered in -thecase of metallio cylindera thesesurfaces may beprovided by-firstmetallizing and then plating them. Any

possibility of foreign-matter lodging between-the conducting surfaces and. their .backing as well as theflnecessity -for cleaning connected therewithisithus eliminated; r

.The.-housing-4,l:and:members I5 and-:28 are made of a non-conductive. material which pref V erably-lends itself .tosimplev manufacture by die.-

forming methods, as is the case; with-.agreat remove ltheipentirel actuator. assembly, only.

s sni r i Base ine 22. 5 e ired.

h r po are e ice lma ;..b ,nul ed1 r m t e socket 25., l

From th as the; were as. Bakelite,.- is. the mostlreadily l i'n es i noit twiu be seen.

l-R e i a roud s Yeti e 'c i 75.

-"tion which may be embodied in various other dorms without departing in any manner from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I, therefore, -do*notw-is h to be limited to the specific disclosure, bu rather to the scope of the appende'd'claimsf Iclaim;

1. An immersionactuator for an electrical cir- "cuit comprising housing means having a chamberthereimand having an opening at one end thereof, electrodes in saidchamber and secured to said housin'glmeansplo'sure means for said opening having fiu'id inlet means, and means associated with said housing means and said 010- sure 'means'for'removably securing said closure means to said housing means.

2. An immersion actuator for an electrical circuit comprisingl'a. substantially tubular housing member having '.'a chamber therein and having a venting aperture extending from said chamber, saidimember having an opening at one end thereof, electrodes in said chamber and secured to said housing member, a closure member for said opening having a. fluid inlet aperture, and means associated-with said closure'member and said housing member for removably. securing said closure memberto said housing member.

3. An immersion actuaftor for an electrical circult. comprising housing means having a chamber therein and having an opening at one end means and said closure. means for removably securing said closure means'fto s'aid housing means.

4. An immersion'actuatonfor an electrical circuit comprising asubstantially tubular housing member having a. chamber therein and having an opening at one end thereof, electrodes in said chamber and secured to said housing member,-a closure 'memberfor said opening having a fluid inlet aperture, baille in said closure member adjacent said fiuidinlet-aperture, and means associated with said closure member and said housing member for removably securing saidclosure member to said housing member.

5; n immersion at 1atorforanelectrical'cirr cuit comprising, housing means having a cham- 7 her therein and having an' opening at one end thereof, electrodes insaid chamber and secured to said housing means, closure means for said opening having fluid inlet means, meansassociated with said li'ousingjme'ans and said closure means for'removably securing said closure means to said housing.means, andres'ilient means for maintaining said securing means in engagement to prevent accident removal of, said closure means.

a .6. n immersion senator for an electrical circuit comprising {a substantially tubular lion's ing member having'ja ,chanibejr therein and having an; opening; at; onei end' there'of, electrodes in said chamber and secured to said housing member, a closure member for said opening having a fluid inlet aperture, means associated with said closure member and said housing member for removably securing said closure member to said housing member, and a spring urging said securing means into engagement to prevent accidental removal of said closure member.

7. An immersion actuator for an electrical circuit comprising a substantially tubular housing member having a chamber therein and having an opening at one end thereof and apertures adjacent the other end thereof, electrodes mounted in said chamber and secured to said housing member, a closure member for said opening having a fluid inlet aperture and having a chamber formed therein, baffles in the chamber of said closure member disposed adjacent said fiuid inlet aperture, and means associated with said closure member and said housing member for removably securing said closure member to said housing member.

8. An immersion actuator for an electrical circuit comprising a substantially tubular housing member having a chamber therein and having an opening at one end thereof, electrodes mounted in said chamber and secured to said housing member, a closure member for said opening having a. fluid inlet aperture, one of said members having a projection structurally associated therewith and the other of said members having a bayonet groove structurally associated therewith to provide a bayonet joint for removably securing said closure member to said housing member, and a spring for retaining said projection in said groove to prevent accidental removal of said closure member.

9. An immersion actuator for an electrical circuit comprising housing means having a fiuid receiving chamber therein and having an opening at one end thereof, electrodes in said chamber, secured to said housing means and terminating within said chamber adjacent said open end thereof, closure means for said opening having fluid inlet means, and means associated with said housing means and said closure means for removably securing said closure means to said housing means.

10. An immersion actuator for an electrical circuit comprising substantially tubular housing means having a chamber therein open at one end thereof, said housing means having a longitudinal bore therein adjacent said open end of said chamber, electrodes mounted in said chamber and secured to said housing means, closure for said open end of said chamber having fluid inlet means, means associated with said housing means and said closure means for removably securing said closure means to said housing means, and aspring in said bore for maintaining said securing means in engagement to prevent accidental separation of said closure means from said housing means.

11. An immersion actuator for an electrical circuit comprising substantially tubular housing means having a fluid receiving chamber open at one end and provided with an aperture adjacent the other end, said housing means having a longitudinal bore adjacent said open end of said chamber; electrodes mounted in said housing means, secured to said housing, and terminating within said chamber adjacent said open end thereof; closure means for said open end of said chamber having fluid inlet means and a chamber; baflie members secured in the chamber of said closure means and disposed adjacent said fluid inlet means; means associated with said housing means and said closure means for removably securing said closure means to said housing means; and a spring in said bore and engaging said closure means for maintaining said securing means in engagement to prevent accidental separation of said closure means from said housing means.

HARRY C. GRANT, JR. 

